Odor eliminating system for a toilet

ABSTRACT

An odor evacuation system for use in connection with a toilet having a toilet bowl with a rim has an inlet assembly configured for detachable mounting on the rim of the toilet bowl. A nozzle of the inlet assembly has an opening for admitting air from the toilet bowl, the nozzle being configured to fit into a gap between the rim of the toilet bowl and a toilet seat. An outlet assembly is fluidly connected to the inlet assembly. The outlet assembly has an outlet opening, a suction fan positioned upstream from the outlet opening and a filter member mounted upstream of the suction fan for scrubbing air admitted through the inlet assembly of objectionable odors. A flexible conduit is mounted between the inlet assembly and an outlet assembly for directing air from the inlet assembly to the outlet assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing odors fromtoilet bowls and, more particularly, to an apparatus for diverting gasesattendant a toilet bowl to a filtration system mounted downstream fromthe toilet bowl.

A problem with the common toilet is that odors accumulate before thetoilet can be flushed. Additionally, conventional flushing toilet bowlsused throughout the world release malodorous gases into the room uponuse, such that a fine mist or aerosol is often created. Such a mist oraerosol contains objectionable odor, as well as potentially harmfulbacteria and viruses that will migrate throughout the adjacent area.

Some bathrooms and toilets have an exhaust action fan installed into aceiling or a wall for the purpose of ventilation, removal of damp airand unpleasant smells from a room. This method of removing unpleasantair, however, is most inefficient due to the fact that the air in theroom becomes contaminated first and then it is expelled by the exhaustfan. This means that the malodorous air can linger on for a considerableamount of time after the person has used the toilet, flowing around andabout an occupant and his/her clothing. Some of the gases may permeatesuch clothing and hair of the user with socially unacceptable results.Moreover, the malodorous gases are almost never exhausted completely bythe time a user opens the door and some of the gases migrate into anadjoining area.

The present invention contemplates provision of an odor eliminatingsystem for removing the objectionable odors from the commode before thegas is released into the surrounding area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an odoreliminating system for a toilet.

It is another object of the invention to provide an odor eliminatingsystem that is configured to suck malodorous air from a conventionalflushing commode.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an odor eliminatingsystem that can be easily installed and dismounted upon demand.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved through aprovision of an odor evacuation apparatus for use in connection with atoilet having a toilet bowl with a rim and a toilet seat secured to therim of the toilet bowl. Conventionally, a gap is created between thebottom of the toilet seat and the top of the toilet bowl rim. The odoreliminating system has an inlet assembly configured for detachablemounting on the rim of the toilet bowl. A nozzle of the inlet assemblyhas an opening for admitting air from the toilet bowl, while the nozzleis configured to fit into the gap between the rim of the toilet bowl andthe toilet seat.

An outlet assembly is fluidly connected to the inlet assembly, theoutlet assembly comprising an outlet opening, a switch-activated suctionfan positioned upstream from the outlet opening and a filter membermounted upstream of the suction fan. The outlet assembly is fluidlyconnected to the inlet assembly by a flexible conduit which directs foulair from the inlet assembly to the outlet assembly for scrubbing by thefilter member.

The suction fan can be powered by a battery, a solar panel, or by amunicipal power supply. The suction fan is activated by either apressure switch mounted in the inlet assembly below the toilet seat orby a three-way switch mounted in the outlet assembly. The three-way fanactivating switch is movable between “On/off” positions and an “Auto”position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like numerals, and wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present inventioninstalled on a toilet.

FIG. 2 is a detail view illustrating position of the intake nozzle undera toilet seat.

FIG. 3 is a detail top view illustrating the intake nozzle.

FIG. 4 is detail view of an outlet assembly.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the presentinvention powered by a municipal power source.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention powered by a solar panel.

FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic of different power sources that can beused to power the suction fan of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an electrical schematic of the system of the presentinvention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral 10 designates theodor eliminating apparatus of the present invention. The apparatus 10comprises an intake assembly 12, an outlet assembly 14, and a connectingconduit 16. Most contemporary toilets share common features. A commode20, as shown in FIG. 1, is an integrated body (i.e., a cast singlepiece) with a bowl 22 and a rim 25. Water, either from a tank 24 or apipe (not shown) is piped through the tank 24 to outlets 26 beneath therim when the toilet is flushed. A drain pipe 28 is formed in the body 20and leads from the bowl 22 to a sewer line. A seat 30 is hingedlysecured to the bowl 22 such that a gap 32 is formed between the rim 25and a bottom surface 34 of the toilet seat 30.

The intake assembly 12 comprises an intake nozzle 40 configured to fitin the gap 32 and have an inlet open above the rim 25 of the bowl 22. Asuction fan 42 is positioned in the outlet assembly 14 and is configuredfor fluid communication with the intake nozzle 40. The suction fan ispowered by an electrical power supply from a battery 46, or a solarpanel 47 in parallel with a battery, or a municipal power source 48, asshown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The 110-volt source of power can be also an aircore transformer. An power transformer 49 can be used when powering theapparatus 10 by a municipal power source.

A normally open toilet seat switch 50 is operationally connected to thesuction fan 42. When a user is seated on the toilet seat 30, thepressure switch 50 is depressed causing an electrical circuit to closeand thereby activate the suction fan 42. The switch 50 can be aspring-mounted pressure switch (with a spring 51) that resilientlyreturns to an open position when the user gets up from the seat 30. Whenthe switch is open and the outlet assembly exhaust fan is in an autoposition, the suction fan 42 can be manually activated, as will bedescribed in more detail hereinafter.

The nozzle assembly 12 is fluidly connected to the conduit 16 fortransferring gas removed by the suction fan 42 to the outlet assembly14. The conduit 16 is formed from a flexible deformable material, whichallows the conduit 16 to be bent in a desired shape adjacent the toiletbowl 22.

The outlet assembly 14 also comprises a filter member 60, which can be acharcoal filter, mounted upstream from the suction fan 42. The filtermember 60 extends transversely to a gas flow traveling through theconduit 16. In one of the preferred embodiments, the filter member 60has substantially the same contact area as the inner opening of theoutlet assembly downstream from the conduit 16. As a result, themajority of malodorous air comes into contact with the filter medium inthe filter member 60 before it is pulled out of the outlet assembly bythe suction fan 42.

A three-way switch 64 is mounted on a side or top of the outlet assembly14. The three-way switch has an “On” position, allowing the fan 42 torun continuously, an “Off” position, shutting down the fan 42, and an“Auto” position, which allows the fan 42 to run as long as theelectrical circuit is closed and the user presses on the pressure switch50.

The air flow stripped of foul gases exits the outlet assembly 14 throughthe outlet opening 68. The outlet opening 68 may be directed to forciblyexpel the air scrubbed of the odor-producing gases directly into theroom.

If desired, a timer may be incorporated with the electrical circuit ofthe present invention, so that the suction fan operates for apredetermined period of time and then automatically switches off toconserve the battery power. The filter member 60 may be detachablypositioned in the outlet assembly 14 allowing the user to change thefilters once the filter member becomes ineffective. Similarly, thebattery 46 can be easily exchanged for a new conventional battery.

The inlet assembly 12 may be secured by clips or brackets to the rim 25of the toilet bowl 22. Alternatively, one or more suction cups may beprovided on a bottom surface of the nozzle 40 to help retain the inletassembly 12 in a desired position relative to the rim of the toiletbowl. The inlet assembly is configured for detachable mounting on therim of the toilet bowl.

Many other changes and modifications can be made in the design of thepresent invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I,therefore, pray that my rights to the present invention be limited onlyby the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. An odor evacuation apparatus for use in connection with atoilet having a toilet bowl with a rim, the apparatus comprising: aninlet assembly configured for detachable mounting on the rim of thetoilet bowl, the inlet assembly comprising a nozzle having an openingfor admitting air from the toilet bowl, said nozzle being configured tofit into a gap between the rim of the toilet bowl and a toilet seat; anoutlet assembly operationally connected to the inlet assembly, saidoutlet assembly comprising an outlet opening, a suction fan positionedupstream from the outlet opening and a filter member mounted upstream ofthe suction fan; and a flexible conduit mounted between the inletassembly and an outlet assembly for directing air from the inletassembly to the outlet assembly.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinsaid outlet assembly further comprises a means for powering the suctionfan.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for powering thesuction fan comprises a battery mounted in the outlet assembly.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for powering the suction fancomprises a solar panel configured to generate sufficient power suitablefor operation of the suction fan.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinsaid means for powering the suction fan comprises a transformerconfigured to transform alternate current from a municipal power supplyto a current suitable for operation of the suction fan.
 7. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein said filter member is detachably mounted in saidoutlet assembly.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inletassembly comprises a pressure switch configured for positioning abovethe rim of the toilet bowl and for activating the suction fan when aperson presses on the toilet seat.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a three-way switch operationally connected to the suction fanfor activating the suction fan, said three-way switch being movablebetween “On/off” positions and an “Auto” position.
 10. An odorevacuation apparatus for use in connection with a toilet having a toiletbowl with a rim and a toilet seat secured to the rim of the toilet bowl,the apparatus comprising: an inlet assembly configured for detachablemounting on the rim of the toilet bowl, the inlet assembly comprising anozzle having an opening for admitting air from the toilet bowl, saidnozzle being configured to fit into a gap between the rim of the toiletbowl and the toilet seat; an outlet assembly fluidly connected to theinlet assembly, said outlet assembly comprising an outlet opening, aswitch-activated suction fan positioned upstream from the outlet openingand a filter member mounted upstream of the suction fan; and a flexibleconduit mounted between the inlet assembly and an outlet assembly fordirecting air from the inlet assembly to the outlet assembly.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 10, wherein said outlet assembly further comprises athree-way fan activating switch operationally connected to the suctionfan, said three-way switch being movable between “On/off” positions andan “Auto” position.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said inletassembly comprises a pressure switch configured for positioning abovethe rim of the toilet bowl and for activating the suction fan when aperson presses on the toilet seat.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein said outlet assembly further comprises a means for powering thesuction fan.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means forpowering the suction fan comprises a battery mounted in the outletassembly.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for poweringthe suction fan comprises a solar panel configured to generatesufficient power suitable for operation of the suction fan.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for powering the suction fancomprises a transformer configured to transform alternate current from amunicipal power supply to a direct current suitable for operation of thesuction fan.
 17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said filter memberis detachably mounted in said outlet assembly.
 18. A method ofeliminating odors from a toilet having a toilet bowl with a rim and atoilet seat secured to the rim of the toilet bowl, comprising the steps:providing an inlet assembly comprising a nozzle having an opening foradmitting air from the toilet bowl, said nozzle being configured to fitinto a gap between the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat;providing an outlet assembly comprising an outlet opening, aswitch-activated suction fan positioned upstream from the outlet openingand a filter member mounted upstream of the suction fan; fluidlyconnecting the inlet assembly with the outlet assembly by a flexibleconduit; detachably mounting the inlet assembly on the rim of the toiletbowl such that the nozzle fits into the gap between the rim of thetoilet bowl and the toilet seat; activating the suction fan anddirecting air from the inlet assembly to the outlet assembly through theflexible conduit and the filter member; and exhausting the filtered airthrough an outlet opening of the outlet assembly.
 19. The method ofclaim 18, wherein the step of activating the suction fan comprises astep of providing said outlet assembly with a three-way fan-activatingswitch operationally connected to the suction fan, said three-way switchbeing movable between “On/off” positions and an “Auto” position.
 20. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the step of activating the suction fancomprises a step of providing said inlet assembly with a pressure switchconfigured for positioning above the rim of the toilet bowl andactivating the suction fan when a person presses on the toilet seat. 21.The method of claim 18, wherein said outlet assembly further comprises ameans for powering the suction fan.
 22. The method of claim 21, whereinsaid means for powering the suction fan comprises a battery mounted inthe outlet assembly.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein said means forpowering the suction fan comprises a solar panel configured to generatesufficient power suitable for operation of the suction fan.
 24. Themethod of claim 21, wherein said means for powering the suction fancomprises a transformer configured to transform alternate current from amunicipal power supply to a suitable for operation of the suction fan.